Vilija Blinkevičiūtė

Vilija Blinkevičiūtė MEP
Chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 May 2021
Preceded by	Gintautas Paluckas
Vice Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 July 2019
Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
In office 25 January 2017 – 1 July 2019
Vice Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
In office 7 July 2014 – 18 January 2017
Member of European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 July 2009
Constituency	Lithuania
Member of the Seimas
In office 17 November 2008 – 28 June 2009
Succeeded by	Marija Aušrinė Pavilionienė
Constituency	Multi-member
In office 15 November 2004 – 17 November 2008
Preceded by	Alvydas Medalinskas
Succeeded by	Audronius Ažubalis
Constituency	Šeškinė
Minister for Social Security and Labour of Lithuania
In office 9 November 2000 – 9 December 2008
Prime Minister	Rolandas Paksas Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas Gediminas Kirkilas
Preceded by	Irena Degutienė
Succeeded by	Rimantas Dagys
Personal details
Born	(1960-03-03) 3 March 1960 Linkuva, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Political party	New Union (Social Liberals) (2002–2006) Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (since 2006)
Alma mater	Vilnius University
Website	web.archive.org/web/20160201094357/http://www.blinkeviciute.eu/

Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (born 3 March 1960 in Linkuva, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian lawyer and politician, Member of the European Parliament and former long-term Minister for Social Security and Labour. Blinkevičiūtė is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania since 2006.

Early life and education

Blinkevičiūtė was born in Linkuva, Lithuania. After graduation with honours from Linkuva Secondary School, she entered Law Faculty of the Vilnius State University, from which she graduated in 1983, having obtained the qualification of Master of Laws.

Political career

Since 1983, Blinkevičiūtė has dedicated all her professional life to working in the Ministry of Social Security and Labour until she turned to politics and became a Vice Minister of Social Security and Labour in 1996.

In 2000 Blinkevičiūtė was appointed as Minister for Social Security and Labour, first in the government of Prime Minister Rolandas Paksas. She remained in the post until 2008.

Between 2004 and 2009 Blinkevičiūtė was member of Seimas.

Member of the European Parliament, 2009–present

In 2009 and in 2014 Blinkevičiūtė has been elected to the European Parliament, as the representative of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania. In the European Parliament, she belongs to the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

Following the 2014 elections, Blinkevičiūtė became a Vice-Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM); she was elected the Chair of the committee in January 2017.

In addition, Blinkevičiūtė is a full member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and of the Delegation to Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, and a substitute member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee. She also belongs to the Intergroup on Disability and the Intergroup on Children’s Rights and to the Intergroup on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.

Recognition

In 2004 Blinkevičiūtė was bestowed with the Cross of Commander of the Order for Merits to Lithuania.

References

• Profile of Vilija Blinkevičiūtė on the official website of Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania
• 2014 elections to the European Parliament - candidates of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party

External links

• Official website (in Lithuanian)
• Profile of Vilija Blinkevičiūtė on the official website of the European Parliament